eaten up each other. Don't you admire that crab?"

"Very much," said Faith. "This little fish is just like some of the
shells down on the shore."

"He came from the shore somewhere," said the doctor,--"little monster!
The ocean world isn't much better than the world of earth, apparently,
Miss Derrick."

"Do you think the earth-world is like that?" said Faith.

"Don't you?"

"I don't know what it is like."

"If you will permit me to say so, I hope you never will--any further
than as you choose to make this a miniature of that. And things in
miniature--are much less," said the doctor abstractedly, looking at the
Anemone. "Would you like to have this little ocean box in your house
for awhile, Miss Faith?--it could just as well as not. Indeed it would
be rather a benefit to me."

"O I should like it!" said Faith. "But I should be afraid of its
getting broken, Dr. Harrison."

"I am not afraid," said he. "It would be in less danger there than
here. As I told you, Sophy neither knows nor cares anything about such
things; and she would either kill them with kindness or forget them
altogether--most likely do both alternately. But with you they would be
safe, for the simple reason that you love them."

The sunbeams had left the window before Faith was at all aware of the
passing away of the afternoon. And then, for once to her joy, Miss
Harrison could not be found. They set out to walk home, and had got
half way when a little rush of footsteps came up behind them, and
Reuben and Sam passed by, arm in arm; or rather half by--then paused
and said good evening.

"O have you seen Mr. Linden to-night, Dr. Harrison?" said Sam.

"Good evening, sir!" said the doctor. "Have I the honour of knowing
you?"

"I should think you might," said Sam, in a tone not at all
displeased--"but it don't signify much. Have you seen him to-night,
doctor?"

"_I_ should think I might, too," said Dr. Harrison looking coolly over
the "young giant." "Allow me to observe, that 'to-night' is not come
yet."

"Did you ever!" said Sam in an aside to Reuben, who had stood perfectly
still without speaking. "Well any time since he got home then, sir?"

"No, sir."

"Have you, Miss Faith?" said Reuben.

"No, Reuben--I am just going home. What's the matter?"

"Why he fainted in school--that's all," said Sam,--"he said there was
nothing the matter. Only we were going down to see how he got home, and
I thought maybe the doctor might tell us first."